Our products' journey: From one island to another
Unique, hand-made pieces...
The Madagascar baskets (and other natural fibre objects sold on this site) are all made from natural materials including raffia, sisal, aravola, rush or banana palm for example. In the Antananarivo region, the fibres that are most used are sisal and raffia, which are very abundant on the island. Raffia originates from the huge leaves of a palm tree named Raphia farinifera, and is actually native to Madagascar.
The plant is cut, sun-dried, softened and sometimes cooked in ash. It is then cut with a small knife into very fine straps, lengthwise.
The fibres are then hand-dyed to get their gorgeous, vibrant colours.
Once the preparations are done, the meticulous weaving can start. The baskets are then finished with leather trims and handles that are the by-product of meat production (Madagascar zebu), and are hand-sewn to each basket.
Each product we sell is produced by hand, and as a result, each piece is completely unique and slight variations in colour, weight and size should be expected! Besides, small irregularities (some might call them imperfections...) are possible, but that's what makes Madagascar craft so charming. We try to provide as much information on each product as possible but if you are unsure about anything please do not hesitate to reach out!
...sourced from Malagasy artisans...
Our bags and baskets are sourced from a Madagascar-based company located near Antananarivo, the capital. They follow the AFNOR standards and were audited by the French audit firm ByExpert as part of their Social & Ethic program and fair trade values. Their employees are remunerated above the national average, and receive numerous social benefits which are better than the national average (such as help with school fees, Christmas bonus or participation in the company's benefits).
The home decor products are sourced from a French company, founded by a lovely couple who loves Madagascar as much as I do, and who works directly with local Malagasy artisans.
Sadly, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. By purchasing crafts from Madagascar, you are helping Malagasy artisans develop healthy, sustainable communities as well as enabling them to perpetuate the traditional craftsmanship that is so deeply rooted in Malagasy culture.
...making their way to you!
In an effort to try to reduce our carbon footprint during our products' journey, our beautiful products are wrapped in 100% recycled, biodegradable and recyclable kraft paper before being sent out to you. The white tags we use are produced with 100% recycled paper, the orange labels - as well as our business cards- are made with uncoated paper, which is a more environmental choice because they yield a higher percentage of fibre for recycling. Finally, we ship our products in recyclable grey bags. These are not the prettiest bags, but are a bit kinder to the planet! We encourage you to recycle/reuse our materials as much as possible to continue our efforts :-).